Hair shaping device

ABSTRACT

A hair shaping device comprises a main unit having a gripper, a head having a rod-shaped heating unit, and a drive unit configured to rotate said heating unit around an axis of said heating unit. Said heating unit has a polygonal shape in cross-section when viewed from a direction of the axis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to hair shaping devices and, more particularly, to a hair shaping device which maintains hair into the intended shape through heat released by a heating unit.

2. Description of the Related Art

There has been eyelash shaping devices for shaping eyelashes, for instance, disclosed in Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3042723 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-219571. The eyelash shaping device disclosed in the former document comprises a main unit having a handle, a spiral brush located in the tip side of the main unit, and a heating element that is spirally coiled in parallel to the inside of the brush. The eyelash shaping device disclosed in the latter document comprises a main unit casing that also functions as a gripper, and a head that is located in one end of the main unit casing, and then a heater for heating eyelashes is located in the head. Then, in a periphery of the head, a first shaping face and a second shaping face are located so as to face each other for shaping eyelashes, and then a comb unit for combing eyelashes is provided in each of the first and second shaping faces. In this eyelash shaping device, a user combs eyelashes using the comb unit, and thereby eyelashes are adjusted into the intended shape and the adjusted eyelashes are maintained through heat released by the heater.

Incidentally, in the conventional eyelash shaping devices of the above-mentioned documents, a user combs eyelashes using the brush or the head, and heats the eyelashes through the heating element or the heater, and then in this state, the user further curves the eyelashes while moving the user's hand holding the eyelash shaping device (or while moving the user's wrist), and thereby the eyelashes are adjusted into the intended shape.

Therefore, the conventional eyelash shaping devices are configured to adjust the eyelashes into the intended shape through moving the user's wrist, that is, through technology and operation of the user, and the work efficiency for the adjustment is not very high. Then, the eyelashes are adjusted while the same part of the head or the brush (the heating element) contacts the eyelashes. For this reason, the temperature of the part reduces easily, and the heat is insufficiently supplied to the eyelashes, and the curled shape is hardly maintained, and thereby there is a possibility that it becomes difficult to adjust the eyelashes into the intended shape (that is, the ability to shape hair is decreased). In addition, because the user adjusts the eyelashes into the intended shape through moving the hand and/or the wrist, there is a problem that the eyelash shaping device itself does not have very high ability for curving (curling) the eyelash.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair shaping device, which can improve the ability to shape hair, and then can improve the work efficiency.

A hair shaping device of the present invention comprises a main unit having a gripper, a head having a rod-shaped heating unit, and a drive unit configured to rotate said heating unit around an axis of said heating unit, and wherein said heating unit has a polygonal shape in cross-section when viewed from a direction of the axis.

In this configuration, a user can heat hair through said heating unit that is rotating. Therefore, the hair shaping device can improve the ability to shape hair and can improve the work efficiency.

In this hair shaping device, preferably, said heating unit has a triangular shape in cross-section when viewed from the direction of the axis, and each corner of the triangular shape is rounded off.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in further details. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is an oblique drawing of a hair shaping device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded oblique drawing of the hair shaping device according to said embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an oblique drawing of a head in the hair shaping device according to said embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an oblique drawing of a head in a state where a comb has been detached, in the hair shaping device according to said embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of said head in the state where said comb has been detached, in the hair shaping device according to said embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a plane view of said comb in the hair shaping device according to said embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram showing schematically a distance from a rotation center of a heating unit to a point in a contact surface coming into contact with hair when the heating unit rotates, in the hair shaping device according to said embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram showing schematically a distance from a rotation center of a heating unit to a point in a contact surface coming into contact with hair when the heating unit rotates, in a hair shaping device according to a reference example;

FIG. 8A is an explanatory diagram showing schematically a pre-displacement situation of eyelashes when the heating unit rotates, in the hair shaping device according to said embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram showing schematically just a displacing situation of eyelashes when the heating unit rotates, in the hair shaping device according to said embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8C is an explanatory diagram showing schematically a situation of eyelashes when a heating unit rotates, in a hair shaping device according to a reference example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below referring to figures.

As shown in FIG. 1, a hair shaping device of the present embodiment comprises: a main unit 1 that has a power source built-in; a head 14 that has a heating unit 4 and a comb 5; a drive unit 3 that outputs a rotation drive to head 14; and a cap 10 that is detachably attached to main unit 1 and covers head 14 (see FIG. 2). Then, the hair shaping device of the present embodiment is configured as a so-called eyelash curler that adjusts eyelashes into a curved shape (a curled shape).

As shown in FIG. 1, main unit 1 is formed into a cylindrical shape, and is provided with an operation unit 6 for operating the performance, which is exposed on a casing. The casing is formed with a battery cover 12 in which a battery 13 is stored, and a housing 11 in which operation unit 6 is located. Then, head 14 is located in one end of housing 11, and battery cover 12 is detachably located in the other end of housing 11. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, main unit 1 encloses battery 13 as the power source, a circuit unit 2 through which battery 13 is electrically connected to heating unit 4 and drive unit 3, and the drive unit 3 which comprises a motor 31 as a drive source. Hereinafter, an axial direction of the cylindrical-shaped main unit 1 will be simply described as an axial direction Ax.

In response to the operation in operation unit 6, circuit unit 2 is configured to perform ON-OFF operation of heating unit 4 and ON-OFF operation of motor 31 (that is, rotation of heating unit 4), and to switch a forward rotation and a reverse rotation with respect to a rotation direction of heating unit 4. Then, operation unit 6 comprises a switch 61 for operating the heat caused by heating unit 4, and a switch 62 for operating the rotation caused by drive unit 3. That is, when a user operates switch 61, ON-OFF of the heating action can be switched through circuit unit 2. Then, when the user operates switch 62, ON-OFF of the rotation can be switched through circuit unit 2, or the forward rotation and the reverse rotation of the rotation direction can be switched through circuit unit 2.

Drive unit 3 mainly comprises motor 31 as the drive source, and a drive transmission unit 32 that transfers a driving force of motor 31 to head 14. Motor 31 has a rotating shaft that extends along the axial direction Ax and corresponds with an axis of main unit 1, and then drive transmission unit 32 has for instance a planetary speed reducer mechanism. Then, drive transmission unit 32 outputs the rotation drive of motor 31 to head 14 so that a rotation axis of head 14 corresponds with the rotating shaft of the motor 31, and then drive unit 3 is configured to rotate heating unit 4 of head 14 around an axis of heating unit 4. As explained above, ON-OFF of the rotation action can be switched through switch 62.

As shown in FIG. 3, head 14 comprises heating unit 4 for heating eyelashes and comb 5 for combing eyelashes, and is provided so as to project along the axial direction Ax from one end of main unit 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, heating unit 4 comprises a heater wire 41, a heater base 42, a heater base cover 43, a heater cover 44, a heater cover ring 45, and a conductive member. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, heating unit 4 projects along the axial direction Ax from one end of main unit 1 and is formed into a rod shape. Then, heating unit 4 is rotated around a shaft center of the rod shape through the driving force transferred from drive unit 3.

Then, the conductive member electrically connects circuit unit 2 and heater wire 41. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the conductive member mainly comprises a pair of heater terminals 46 a, 46 a formed into cylindrical shapes, a pair of terminal springs 46 b, 46 b formed into circular shapes, and two U-rings 46 c, 46 c, and then these are formed with a conducting material, such as a metal. The detailed configuration about the conductive member will be explained below together with other components of heating unit 4.

Heater base 42 mainly comprises a long rod 42 a that extends along the axial direction Ax, and a base 42 b that is electrically connected to circuit unit 2 through the conductive member. Then, heater base 42 is provided so that its axis corresponds with the axis of drive unit 3, and base 42 b is enclosed in main unit 1, and rod 42 a projects along the axial direction Ax from main unit 1.

Rod 42 a is formed into almost a triangular frame shape in cross-section when viewed from the axial direction Ax, and that is, has three long side walls that extend along the axial direction Ax. Then, rod 42 a has a guide (not shown) near two of three corners in the triangular frame, and heater wire 41 is located in the guide (the details will be explained below). The guide is formed into a groove shape, and then is formed along the axial direction Ax over the entire length of two long side walls. At this time, in the guide, a first guide located in one long side wall and a second guide located in the other long side wall are formed so as to sag toward each other.

Base 42 b is formed into a cylindrical shape, and is rotatably attached to housing 11 through a bearing 47 and heater base cover 43. Then, base 42 b is provided in its outer periphery with heater terminals 46 a, 46 a of the conductive member. Heater terminals 46 a, 46 a are arranged in the axial direction Ax, and heater base cover 43 is located between heater terminals 46 a, 46 a, and short-circuit can be prevented by heater base cover 43. Then, heater terminals 46 a, 46 a are electrically connected to terminal springs 46 b, 46 b that are attached to an inner surface of housing 11 (the inside of main unit 1), respectively. Terminal springs 46 b, 46 b are electrically connected to circuit unit 2 through a conducting member (in the present embodiment, lead wires 48, 48).

Then, one end of heater wire 41 is located between one heater terminal 46 a and the outer periphery of base 42 b, and the other end of heater wire 41 is located between the other heater terminal 46 a and the outer periphery of base 42 b. Then, both heater terminals 46 a, 46 a are electrically connected to each other through heater wire 41. Then, the guide provided in rod 42 a further extends to base 42 b, and then heater wire 41 positioned in the guide is prevented from electrically contacting heater cover 44 attached to base 42 b.

Each end of heater wire 41 is secured to base 42 b through the corresponding U-ring 46 c. Then, each end of heater wire 41 is electrically connected to the corresponding heater terminal 46 a located in the periphery through the corresponding U-ring 46 c. For this reason, by ON operation of switch 61, the electrical power is supplied to heater wire 41 from battery 13 via circuit unit 2 and the conductive member, and thereby heater wire 41 releases heat. Then, by OFF operation of switch 61, the electrical power supplied from battery 13 is stopped, and thereby heater wire 41 stops releasing heat.

Then, heater wire 41 is located in the guide that is formed along two side walls and the tip of rod 42 a in the axial direction Ax. In addition, heater wire 41 is covered by heater cover 44, and thereby is protected. Heater cover 44 is fixed to base 42 b via heater cover ring 45 (the details will be explained below).

Heater cover 44 is formed into a tubular shape. Heater wire 41 and heater base 42 are positioned within the tubular. Then, heater cover 44 covers the three side walls and the tip of heater base 42 and heater wire 41 located in the guide, and thereby prevents the exposure of heater wire 41. Then, a clearance gap is formed between heater cover 44 and heater wire 41. Therefore, heater cover 44 is heated through the heat released by heater wire 41, while being electrically insulated from heater wire 41.

Furthermore, heater cover 44 is formed with a material having high heat conductivity, such as aluminum, its mixed metal, or the like, and then can transfer, more easily, the heat generated at a time when a current flows in heater wire 41 (at a time when the electrical power is supplied), compared with heater base 42. For this reason, heating unit 4 can heat hair (eyelash) coming into contact with heater cover 44 through the heat transferred to heater cover 44. An outer periphery of heater cover 44 is configured as three contact surfaces 41 a for contacting and heating hair.

Then, heater cover 44 has a polygonal shape in cross-section when viewed from the axial direction Ax, and specifically, each corner (apex) of the polygonal shape is rounded off. Then, in the present embodiment, heater cover 44 has almost a triangular shape in cross-section when viewed from the axial direction Ax, and each corner (apex) of the triangular shape is rounded off. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, heating unit 4 has a triangular shape when viewed from the axial direction Ax (when viewed from the front), and then three plane surfaces, being based mainly on three sides of the triangular shape, function as three contact surfaces 41 a of heating unit 4.

In addition, a large diameter section 44 b is provided in one end of heater cover 44 positioned in the side of main unit 1, and is formed so as to extend outward along a radial direction. Heater cover ring 45 is attached to large diameter section 44 b, and thereby heater cover 44 is fixed to base 42 b of heater base 42. Then, heater cover 44 is provided in one side of the triangular shape with a groove 44 a that opens in the projecting tip and sags along the axial direction Ax. In FIG. 5, large diameter section 44 b and heater cover ring 45 are omitted.

In other words, heater cover ring 45 functions as a retaining member for holding heater cover 44 in heater base 42, and then, as shown in FIG. 4, holds one end of heater cover 44, positioned in the side of main unit 1, in base 42 b. Then, heater cover ring 45 is provided with a convex part 45 a that projects in the side of the rotation center. When heater cover ring 45 is attached to large diameter section 44 b, convex part 45 a engages with groove 44 a of heater cover 44. Therefore, when heater base 42 is rotated, heater cover 44 held in base 42 b rotates together with heater base 42 without spinning free.

That is, in addition to the functions as the retaining member, heater cover ring 45 functions as a whirl-stop member that prevents heater cover 44 from rotating with respect to heater base 42. Then, heater cover ring 45 is formed with an insulating material, and then prevents a heater terminal 46 a positioned near rod 42 a from moving to the side of rod 42 a and insulates heater cover 44 from the heater terminal 46 a.

As shown in FIG. 3, comb 5 is formed into a cylindrical shape having the bottom, and comprises a comb section 51 as a periphery. Then, heating unit 4 is located within comb 5, and the tip of heater cover 44 is covered by the bottom of comb 5. An opening end of comb 5 is fixed to main unit 1. As shown in FIG. 6, comb section 51 has a shaft center that corresponds with the rotation center of heating unit 4, and is formed into a spiral shape, and is located so as to cover three contact surfaces 41 a of heating unit 4. In other words, comb section 51 is formed so as to slope, over the entire circumference of comb 5, toward the axial direction Ax with respect to a circumferential direction (a rotation circle) and to intersect with the axial direction Ax.

Then, a space (a clearance gap) of the spiral comb section 51 located in the axial direction Ax functions as a lead-in groove 52 for leading eyelashes in contact surfaces 41 a of heating unit 4. That is, comb 5 is provided with the lead-in groove 52 formed into a spiral shape.

As explained above, heating unit 4 has three contact surfaces 41 a over the entire circumference of the circumferential direction, and then one contact surface 41 a contacting hairs (eyelashes) can be sequentially changed through the rotation of heating unit 4. Therefore, the hair shaping device can prevent the conventional problem that eyelashes are adjusted using only the same part of heating unit and thereby the temperature of the same part reduces and heat is insufficiently supplied to the eyelashes. Then, the user can easily adjust hair (can easily curl hair) using the hair shaping device, and the hair shaping device can easily improve the convenience, such as the work efficiency of the adjustment.

Then, because heating unit 4 (heater cover 44) is formed into a polygonal shape in cross-section, a distance from the rotation center to a point in a contact surface 41 a (in the Figure, see a distance D1 from a dashed line L1 to a solid line L2) can be changed with the rotation of heating unit 4, as shown in FIG. 7A. Therefore, through the rotation of heating unit 4, the present hair shaping device can move hairs (can smooth eyelashes) coming into contact with heating unit 4 (see a hair H in FIGS. 8A and 8B), and can improve the work efficiency, compared with a heating unit 70 according to a reference example which is formed into a circular shape in cross-section and in which its distance D2 remains constant (that is, the distance D2 is not displaced) as shown in FIG. 7B. Furthermore, each contact surface 41 a of heating unit 4 is formed so as to have a plane surface, due to the polygonal shape of heating unit 4. Therefore, heating unit 4 can easily come into contact with hairs through a surface contact. For this reason, when coming into contact with hairs, the present hair shaping device can have a larger contact area with hair and can supply the heat to hairs more easily and can improve the work efficiency of the adjustment, compared with heating unit 70 of the reference example which has a contact surface 71 a formed into a circular shape in cross-section and coming into contact with hairs through a point contact.

Then, in the present embodiment, heating unit 4 is formed into almost an equilateral triangular shape in cross-section, and thereby each contact surface 41 a can have a larger area (a longer side) than each contact surface of a heating unit formed into other polygonal shape. Therefore, the present hair shaping device can easily come into contact with hairs through a surface contact, and can improve the work efficiency of the adjustment. Then, each corner of the shape in cross-section is rounded off, and thereby, near each corner, the area coming into contact with hairs can be smoothly moved along a curved surface of each corner (that is, hairs can be easily curled). Accordingly, the present hair shaping device can prevent the insufficient heat caused by the temperature decrease of the contact surfaces 41 a and can improve the work efficiency of the adjustment, compared with an angular corner in which hairs easily maintain contact with the same area near each corner.

Moreover, drive unit 3 is configured to switch a forward rotation and a reverse rotation with respect to the rotation direction of heating unit 4, and thereby for instance in a left-and-right pair of eyelashes, the user can switch the rotation direction of heating unit 4 in response to the right eyelashes or the left eyelashes, and the user can easily adjust the pair of eyelashes to symmetrical shape through switching of the rotation direction. In this way, because the rotation direction is selectable, the user can easily adjust eyelashes and the present hair shaping device can improve the convenience.

Then, comb section 51 in comb 5 is formed into a spiral shape, and thereby, in contact surfaces 41 a of heating unit 4, a part exposed through lead-in groove 52 of comb section 51 is configured so as to slope with respect to a circumferential direction. Therefore, in a region provided with comb section 51, lead-in groove 52 is formed over the entire circumference, and the user can easily lead hairs in lead-in groove 52 and the hairs can easily come into contact with heating unit 4 (hairs can be easily heated) and the present hair shaping device can improve the convenience.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention, namely claims. For instance, comb 5 may comprise a plurality of comb sections 51, each of which is formed into a circular ring shape, and a center of each circular ring corresponds with the rotation center. Then, the plurality of circular-ring-shaped comb sections 51 may be located so as to slope in the axial direction Ax and intersect with the axial direction Ax. In addition, the present hair shaping device is not limited to an eyelash curler. 

1. A hair shaping device comprising: a main unit having a gripper; a head having a rod-shaped heating unit; and a drive unit configured to rotate said heating unit around an axis of said heating unit, wherein said heating unit has a polygonal shape in cross-section when viewed from a direction of the axis.
 2. The hair shaping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heating unit has a triangular shape in cross-section when viewed from the direction of the axis, each corner of the triangular shape being rounded off. 